Wagon-tongue-attaching device



(No Model.)

A. KOEHLER.

WAGON TONGUE ATTAGHING DEVICE.

No. 406.515. Patented July 9,1889.-

% WM .1 M

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT KOEHLER, OF FREEPORT, ILLINOIS.

WAGON-TONGUE-ATTACHING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 406,515, dated July 9, 1889.

Application filed October 30, 1888. Serial No. 289,510. (No model.)

tongue-attaching devices for wagons, and isfully described and explained in this specification, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a bottom plan of a wagon-tongue and axle connected by my improved device. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal vertical section of the tongue with its connections. Fig.

3 is a transverse section of a king-bolt supporting-plate D, forming part of the device.

In the views, A is the front axle, of ordinary construction. 13 B are the hounds, attached thereto in the usual manner; and O is a tongue connected with the hounds by means of a transverse pivot c. On the under side of the tongue, at a suitable distance from the axle, is fastened a plate D, formed with alongitudinal slot d, the upper face of the plate being grooved out to receive the preferably hemispherical head 8 of a king-bolt E, which passes through the slot and is supported by the plate. The king-bolt E passes through a clevis F and through the doubletree G, which lies between the arms of the clevis, asuitable key being passed through the lower end of the kin g-bolt to hold up the clevis and doubletree. The clevis is connected with the axle by a chain H, the clevis being preferably passed through a ring at the center of the chain, and the outer ends of the chain being fastened to eyes a, formed integrally with bands at, e11- oircling the axle or fastened thereto by other suitable means.

From the foregoing description it is evident that the 'plate D supports the weight of the doubletree, but bears no part of the strain of draft, this being transmitted to the axle through the chain H. The slot in the plate D permits the king-bolt to move forward and back, and the chains, which are v wagon uphill or 011 a-level, theking-bolt remains constantly at the forward limit of motion allowed to the chain, but that when the strain is removed, as in going downhill, the

chains become slack and the king-bolt moves back in the slot (1, thus bringing the double tree and the singletrees attached to it nearer to the wagon and farther from the horses than they would be if the king-bolt were stationary, as in the ordinary construction. This is a material advantage attained by the use of the device.

Another advantage which this device possesses as compared with the ordinary kingbolt connection is that the doubletree is suspended below the tongue instead of above it, so that the strain of draft tends to raise the front end of the tongue and thereby take its weight entirely off the shoulders of the horses when drawing a load. That this makes an important difference in the labor of drawing a wagon is evident to any person at all familiar with the subject.

Having now described and explained my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination, with the axle A, of the hounds B and tongue C, pivotally secured thereto, the slotted plate D, recessed upon its upper surface and secured to the lower surface of the tongue in front of the tonguepivot, the bolt E, passing through the slot with its head restingin the recess, the doubletree,-clevis F, supported by the bolt, and the chain II, fastened at its middle to the clevis and having its ends secured to the axle near the ends thereof, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specificati on in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT KOEI-ILER.

itnesses:

R. H. WILEs, J. A. GRAIN. 

